Why hello there! I thought I'd pop into this fic for a minute. Still reading?


"Good morning."

Regina opened her front door to find David Nolan greeting her with a pleasant smile and raised an eyebrow at him suspiciously before remembering her manners, "Good morning-"

"Baby furniture," He explained at her hesitance and held up his toolbox higher with his right hand, "And breakfast pastries," He added with a smirk and a lift of the paper bag in his left hand.

"Oh, right. Snow ordered you to help me," Regina remembered the dinner discussion from a few weeks ago and gave a good humored roll of her eyes, opening her door wider and motioning for him to come into the foyer. "You really don't have to, you know. Now that my morning sickness seems to be over I'm getting some of my energy back and was planning to magic the nursery together when I felt up to it."

"It's no problem. I was going to offer even before Snow said anything. Plus, I got pretty good at this baby furniture stuff after Neal. It only took me Emma four hours to put his crib together-" He smirked and set the toolbox down on the floor. "Now don't tell me you don't want my breakfast either or I'm going to feel really rejected."

She couldn't help smiling back at his playfulness when he straightened and held the bag temptingly near his head. "Are you always such a morning person?"

"Only when I'm trying to convince stubborn mayors to let me into their mansions," David replied with a nod. "Now, are you gonna offer me coffee to go with these donuts or are you just putting me straight to work?" he teased and she took note of his even smile.

"Follow me," she sighed, knowing there was no getting out of him helping her as she turned on her heels and led him towards her kitchen.

It was odd having David around but what surprised her more was that she didn't seem to mind. There was a time when opening the door to him meant all hell was breaking loose and she needed to brace herself for a fight. Having him show up to help her on more than one occasion now with treats in tow felt strange, but she couldn't say she hated the company.

It helped her mood that she'd woken up earlier feeling rested and had been able to shower, dress and do her makeup without being exhausted by the end. Thanks to her new maternity wardrobe she was able to easily select an outfit that fit properly, making her more amiable with the knowledge that she didn't look as frumpy as she'd felt lately.

"How do you take your coffee?" She asked as she rounded the counter to grab a mug from the cabinet.

"Black is fine," David nodded and sat the bakery bag on the countertop.

"What? No whip cream and sprinkles?" Regina teased and glanced back at him with a playful raise of her eyebrow, "You are a Charming."

"Are you always this sarcastic in the morning?" his eyes crinkled with another one of those signature grins.

"Only when I'm dealing with a determined shepherd inviting himself into my house," she mocked him from earlier before returning to the kitchen island and sliding his coffee across to him with mischief in her eyes. "You know I agreed to your help with the nursery, not with making me fat."

David chuckled when he followed her gaze to the donuts, reaching out to slide the bag towards her, "Get in there, you know you want to. Thank you, by the way," nodded towards the coffee mug on the counter and picked it up. "I'm going to need the caffeine. Neal was up half of the night thanks to the terrible toddler phase. I didn't get much sleep."

"I remember those days," Regina nodded with a soft laugh, "I used to fall asleep in Henry's toddler bed with him just trying to get him to go down for the night. I would wake up with a sore neck and back from sleeping curled up to fit and him on top of me. Finally I just gave up and let him sleep with me until he grew out of that phase."

"How long did that take?" David's eyes widened at the thought. She realized then that this was technically his first time experiencing raising a child and a twinge of guilt followed that she was the reason.

"I think I finally got him back in his own bed when he turned 3," Regina smiled and shook her head, "It probably would've been sooner, but it was easier since it was just he and I."

"I'm not sure that makes much of a difference, Neal has slept between us since he was old enough not to squash him-" David chuckled and shook his head, "Sometimes I still wake up in a panic thinking I've rolled over on him."

"Kids are a lot less fragile than you think," She smiled at the image of David's big frame next to his sleeping son and felt a sense of longing to witness that kind of familial scene for herself. "Part of me liked having Henry close to me. He was the first thing that was truly precious to me in so long that I wanted to have my eyes on him at all times."

"I can't imagine how you did it all by yourself," He raised an eyebrow, "I could barely keep everything together when Snow and I were under the sleeping curse."

"It wasn't always easy, but I cherished it all the same," she smiled a little to herself as she took a pastry and began picking it apart to nibble on, "It had been so long since...I don't know, since I'd had anyone, I guess."

David watched the way she averted her gaze when she realized what a vulnerable statement she made. He gave her an encouraging nod when she glanced up at him, wanting her to know he was interested in what she had to say and that there was no need to feel awkward. "I'd imagine it was quite a transition after being on your own for so long."

Regina nodded once, thinking back on it with a hint of a smile, "To say the least. We had a bit of a rocky start, Henry and I."

"Really?" David looked at her in surprise, "But you two have such a bond."

"It didn't happen straight away," she admitted, not sure why she was sharing the fact. It wasn't something that she'd really told anyone but she suddenly found herself explaining it to Charming of all people. "I, uhm...well, I'd been alone so long that I'd forgotten how to...love, I guess you would say. I couldn't figure out why he was crying all of the time. I'd feed him and change him and he'd still just cry until his face was red and I had a migraine," she breathed a laugh.

David gave a small smile, "When did it begin to change?"

"It's embarrassing to admit, but I thought there was something physically wrong with him so I took him to the doctor. Only to run into your wife who was able to calm Henry and bring it to my attention that I was the problem. I realized I was taking care of him, but I wasn't letting him in. I'd been closed off for so long that I hadn't even realized I'd been doing it."

"You certainly figured it out. You did an amazing job with Henry."

"Breakfast and compliments from Charming?" she smiled after a moment and he laughed from behind his coffee mug. "What a strange morning."

"Should we check for pigs flying outside?" David grinned and Regina found herself laughing genuinely at his banter. He'd always been able to keep up with her sarcasm and bickering, but she supposed she was surprised to find he could actually be rather witty as well. Of course she'd also written him off as an idiot for decades. Maybe she was wrong. "Now that would be a noteworthy rendition of Old McDonald."

Regina coughed a little on her sip of coffee at his comment, thinking back on she and Henry joking about it during their lunch with David at the diner, "Wait a minute, you actually looked up the nursery rhyme?" she couldn't help but laugh out loud again.

"Hey, I had to know who this McDonald guy was that you were comparing me to," he shrugged and a faked serious expression, "And to be frank, his farm doesn't sound as impressive as mine. He doesn't even have that many animals."

"Just when I was beginning to think you weren't entirely an idiot," Regina hid her grin with her coffee mug, ignoring how warm their shared gaze was.

"To be fair, I do have a toddler with a lot of those enchanted song books of this world. I finally understood what you and Henry were talking about when Neal's bedtime story choice started singing about farm animals," David laughed before his eyes crinkled with a playful smirk again. "Though I am curious how you ever added a cricket to the song. I mean really, Regina. What in god's name did you use for the sound on that one?"

"Idiot. You're an idiot."


"Hey Mom," Henry announced his presence in the den as he came in and plopped down beside Regina on the sofa, "What are you watching? Or working on?" he glanced between the paperwork on her lap and the television, "Do you ever not multitask?"

"Hmm, enjoy the fact that you don't have to for now, my dear boy," she gave him a playful smile and nudged him gently in the side, "Soon you'll be all grown up and wishing you didn't understand the need for multi-tasking."

"I think I'll pass. Being a grown up doesn't sound fun," he joked and leaned into her as she closed her files and laid them beside her.

"Don't be worried, it has its perks and you'll do just fine," she smiled into his hair when she wrapped her arm around his shoulders, "That is until your baby boy grows up on you."

Henry laughed before leaning up slightly, "Do you want me to stay home tonight? Maybe watch a movie or something?"

"What have I told you about that?"

"About what?" His mouth dropped innocently.

"About trying to change your plans to stay in with your boring old mother-" she grinned and shook her head, "Aren't you seeing your friends and Violet tonight?"

"Well, yeah, but-" Henry's smile weakened, "It's just all you do is work when I'm not around. You deserve to have fun too."

"Henry, I can assure you that I am going to have plenty of fun once I finish this paperwork," she quirked a dark brow with a rather mischievous expression, "I may or may not have purchased a party size container of rocky road at the grocery store today."

David laughed under his breath as he stood in the hall, observing their conversation. He'd come down with his toolbox and set it in the foyer before looking for Regina to let her know he'd gotten the furniture together. When he found the pair cuddling on the couch it had caught him off guard and he couldn't help but watch for a few moments, overhearing Henry's concern of Regina spending too much time alone.

"Now I want to stay here even more," Henry grinned at his mother and David's heart warmed at how good of a son his grandson was. It had been just the two of them for years and they looked out for each other with the same protective care despite how much their family had grown. David still found it caught him off guard at times to see the two of them interact. Regina was just so warm and without any hint of the walls that she put up with just about everyone else.

"Nonsense," Regina gave him a squeeze with the arm she had wrapped around him, appearing unable to wrap both of them around him due to her growing baby bump. "Now go, I put some money on the table in the foyer for you."

"But I have a job now-" Henry raised an eyebrow.

"That doesn't mean you're too grown up for me to give you an allowance," she rolled her eyes playfully giving him a nudge, "Have a good night, okay? I love you."

"Thanks, love you," Henry nodded and kissed her cheek before he got up from the couch and made his way out of the room through the foyer and front door.

David made his presence known then, stepping into the living room from the side entry to the back hallway where he'd sat his toolbox, "Hey, all done up there," he smiled when she looked up at him, "It's all put together."

"Thank you, honestly, it's such a big help and for you to take time out of your schedule to do it-" Regina began, smiling weakly up at him from the sofa, "I know you have your hands full."

"Don't worry about it," David smiled at how grateful she seemed of him, such a stark contrast to the interactions they used to have. He glanced towards the foyer then as he considered his exit before glancing back at her, not knowing why he felt the pull to prolong their interaction. Maybe he was just avoiding going home, or maybe he enjoyed her presence too much, but he took a few steps further into the living room and ignored his logic. "I was thinking I could come back and do the painting and then rearrange the furniture up there if you wanted."

"What? Absolutely not," Regina laughed, eyes widening in disbelief at the generosity of his offer, "That's just too much. I can work on it with my magic."

"Will you stop being stubborn?" David grinned at the surprised look she gave him then. He glanced at the end of the couch closest to him before deciding to sit down and continue before she could refuse. "Henry told me that work wears you out so much that you don't have the energy to do much when you get home, let alone the energy to summon magic for a room remodel."

"You and Henry have been talking about me?" Regina's expression shifted dangerously.

"Look, he's a thoughtful kid and just mentions things in passing that he's concerned you're doing too much," David nodded before picking up the file between them as proof of his point. "He's right, too. You need to relax and have a little fun every now and then."

"Have fun?" She eyed him skeptically, "Is Snow in on this? Is this some sort of elaborate plan to keep me preoccupied from my sadness so I won't go all Evil Queen on you guys again?"

"What? Jesus, no Regina," David let out a nervous laugh, eyes growing wide at where her imagination had taken her. "I'm not scheming with Henry and Snow to babysit you," he let out a breath and leaned back on the couch, "Can you just not be suspicious for five minutes?"

Regina watched him for a moment, starting to feel a little guilt for getting so defensive with him. The man seemed tense at the mention of his wife, making her wonder if his time here was actually serving to keep him distracted. Still she couldn't let herself seem entirely soft so she let out a breath and spoke to her defense, "I shouldn't have said that, but I do wonder why you're here and it just made the most sense..."

"I've told you over and over again I'm here to help you. Is it so hard to accept the fact that I care for you as much as the rest of the family does?" he turned his head to the side but didn't lift it from the couch as he met her gaze before chuckling at her skeptical expression, "...can you just not question it?"

"Question why Prince Charming is on my couch looking like he plans to stay for a while, you mean?" she summarized for him with inquisitive eyes, though there was a hint of good humor in her question.

"Snow has plans with Ruby tonight and Emma has Neal, so," David shrugged, "Why not? I'm free."

"Wouldn't you rather be home enjoying your alone time? You've seemed so busy lately I doubt that you get much."

"Alone time? It feels like all I get lately is alone time," he let out a breath and looked towards the fireplace as Regina studied him. There was conflict written all over his expression but she didn't question it. She hadn't wanted to feel like a charity case but she could see a familiar lonesomeness and restlessness in him that she struggled with herself. Maybe he did need the company as much as she did.

"Well," Regina glanced at the clock on the mantle before looking back at him, "There is rocky road in the freezer."

"Yeah?" David's head snapped back to her with an excited, childlike grin like he had immediately forgotten his troubles at the invitation to spend time with her.

"I suppose I could spare a bowl considering my baby will have a place to sleep now thanks to you," Regina joked and gave a playful roll of her eyes, "Find something decent to watch for us while I go get it."

"I get to stay for a movie, too?" he let his mouth drop in mock wonderment, earning an annoyed smile from her as she stood.

"Then you're leaving right after."


"All right, Madam Preggo just said she'll be on her way soon from her office," Emma announced as she made her way back to the booth where Snow sat, handing her the menus she'd got for them as she read the text from Regina, "I figured she was ditching us."

"She will if she hears you use that nickname, or do worse," Snow laughed with a quick shake of her head, turning to tuck Neal's blanket over him where he napped soundly in his carrier on the seat beside her.

"She tolerates a lot more than she used to," Emma smirked and plopped back down to sit opposite of them, "Especially where there's lunch involved these days."

"Hm," Snow hummed a smile and took a sip of her coffee, gaze shifting towards her phone on the table.

"Everything okay?" Emma raised an eyebrow.

"Of course, why wouldn't it be?" Snow smiled pleasantly and looked quickly back to her daughter.

"Because you barely know where your phone is half of the time, but today you have it on the table so you can see it," Emma shrugged and reached for her own coffee, "Things all right with you and Dad?"

Snow's brows furrowed as if it were an absurd question and Emma quickly saw through it. Her mother was a terrible liar and the answer was written all over her face despite her attempt to hide it. She had suspected they were going through something for a while now and stomach sank a little at the knowledge that her mother was concerned.

"Why would you ask that?" Snow shook her head and shifted her gaze back to her coffee, "Of course we are."

"Really? 'Cause the last couple of times I dropped by at the farmhouse things seemed tense between you-" Emma prodded gently, remaining casual in hopes she could get her mother talking honestly instead of trying to cover it up for her sake, "Mom, I'm an adult. You can talk to me about whatever is going on."

Snow looked at her for a long, contemplative moment before nodding once with a sigh, "Your Dad and I had an argument this morning. Usually by this time he'd have already called to say sorry, but I haven't heard from him yet."

"What are you two arguing about?"

"To be honest, I don't know, it feels like nothing and everything at the same time," she frowned, "I think we're still trying to figure out who we are now. We've never really done this, you know-"

Emma's expression grew confused, "What do you mean?"

"Life together," Snow gave a weak smile, "We were always focused on defeating Regina back in the Enchanted Forest and ruling the kingdom. Then once the curse lifted here we were busy leading the town and keeping it safe. Now we're decades older and trying to find our new roles and lately it just seems like they're taking us in opposite directions."

"Is it the whole farm thing?" Emma frowned, knowing Snow hadn't necessarily wanted to move outside of the town limits. She was too social for the isolation and was constantly finding reasons to come to Emma's.

"No, no. It isn't just that. I do like the farm, but I miss town just the same. Especially with how little your Dad and I seem to be talking lately..." she sighed and glanced at Neal. "When he's not at the station, he's working on fixing up the farm stables. I'm focused on getting back into teaching and more involved with the school. It doesn't leave much time to focus on us."

"Well it's only temporary, right? I know once he gets the farm up and running he won't be working regularly at the station. Just filling in for me or Hook when we're out," Emma nodded, trying to remain positive despite how unsettling it was to hear her optimistic mother seem so unsure.

"Of course it's only temporary," Snow nodded and gave her signature hope-filled smile, "Your father and I have been through much worse. We'll figure this out, too."

"Yeah," Emma nodded and returned the smile though it felt strained, making her relieved when the diner door jingled and she looked up to see the Mayor.

Regina wore a dark blue fitted dress, looking entirely professional and powerful as she always had, except for the very humanizing bump that protruded at her middle. It made her seem more approachable and Emma found it rather amusing that the woman could no longer hide her softness behind an icy exterior.

"Sorry I'm late, one of the dwarves came to protest a parking ticket," she muttered, sitting down in the booth beside of Emma a little more gingerly than she normally would, "I swear if I had known that stupid decal they put on my door was going to make them think they could drop in at any moment, I would've scraped it off right then and there."

Emma let out a laugh and Snow smiled, shaking her head humorously at Regina's grumpiness before she saw the way the mayor pushed her shoulders into the booth to stretch her back, "You feeling okay?"

"I'm fine," Regina sighed and looked up at them both watching her carefully, immediately frowning and shifting in her seat. She still wasn't used to the care and concern her family showed her and became awkward at times, "I'm pregnant, not terminally ill. Will you both stop staring? My back just hurts."

Emma chuckled again under her breath looking back to her coffee mug, "Yeah, that's probably because of those heels. I could barely get shoes on by the end of my pregnancy with Henry. Of course, I was in a cell so I guess it didn't matter much," she shrugged in dry humor.

"Emma, really?" Snow raised an eyebrow with an exasperated breath, but soon forgot her daughter's crass humor when she saw the amusement curling Regina's lips. In addition to a son, the two of them shared the same sense of humor and Snow found herself on the receiving end of it often when they were together. She couldn't say that she minded it though as it was all in good fun and served as a reminder to just how far they'd all come.

"I'm fine, truly. I was just on my feet all morning," Regina reassured Snow and sighed under her breath. They'd come a long way from poison apples and almost-executions, but their personalities were still very different and it could create friction at times, usually when she lost her patience with the bubbly woman's incessant fussing or questions. She appreciated the way Emma always seemed to know when to buffer between them to lighten the mood.

"You're six months now, right?," Snow smiled and shook her head, "I know there's no use in trying to convince you not to work as much, but maybe take more breaks? Or at least wear more comfortable shoes."

"I'm fully capable of taking care of myself," Regina rolled her eyes slightly with a hint of a smile. It was odd how their roles had reversed since their time as step-mother and daughter. She'd only been a girl herself back then but she'd tried to make sure Snow was looked after. Now she found the younger woman looking out for her in a similar way.

"Trust me I know," Snow smiled and shrugged her shoulders, "But you don't have to anymore. You've got us."

"Talk is cheap, Mom-" Emma smirked when she saw Granny bringing a plate of cheese fries over to the table.

"Here's your appetizer, ladies," Granny smiled over her glasses and sat the plate in the middle, "I'll be back in a minute to get your order."

Emma smirked after they thanked Granny and she glanced at Regina whose eyes were lingering on the plate, "The only way to appease Madam Preggo is with an offering."

"Madam what-" Regina's head snapped up and mouth dropped as she turned to look at Emma, "Oh no, no that nickname will not be repeated."

"Sorry," Emma feigned an innocent expression before mumbling under her breath humorously as she reached for a fry, "...Madam Preggo-"

"Would you like a plate and utensils, Princess Swan?" Regina asked dryly with a pointed look at her.

Snow snickered and Emma's lips parted briefly before she nodded once, "Point taken," she said quickly before hearing her phone go off, checking the text.

"Crap, Dad got called out for a fender bender," Emma muttered before looking up at the other two women, "Nothing serious but I'll have to get back to the station since Hook's off today," she huffed with a glance at the cheese fries.

"Put in your order and I'll bring it to you after we're done," Regina smirked, noting Emma's disappointment over the food.

"I suppose he forgot he was supposed to take Neal this afternoon," Snow frowned with sudden irritation, making Regina think back on David's disposition just a few days prior. "Belle couldn't today and I have to get back to the school."

Regina noted Snow's tension and glanced at the sleeping baby, remembering how hard it had been balancing Henry and work. She knew it was an adjustment for the woman to be away from Neal no matter how much she enjoyed teaching. Not to mention the strain it seemed to be putting on her marriage. "I don't have any meetings this afternoon. I could take him."

"I can't ask you to do that, Regina. You have enough going on," Snow said with a soft frown.

"You're not asking, I volunteered. It's the least I can do after you've lent me your husband on two occasions now," she joked with a reassuring smile. "Besides, it's been a while since Henry was that age and I could use the practice, considering."

Snow's shoulders relaxed with a slow exhale, "Are you sure you wouldn't mind?"

"I'm sure," Regina nodded before rolling her eyes playfully, "Don't make me regurgitate your 'we're family, it's what we do' speech, Snow."